That Furniture knows No Equal
by tristine2015
Summary: Timeless and ageless. Chaos earns a new name when Jupiter appoints one of Iason's children to rule the city in her stead. Sadly as variations in the masses voice their disapproval, it's up to one Furniture to keep the Mink household from bursting at the seams where as dark forces are bent on seeing his downfall before the coronation. sequel to the Spaces in Between rated m for m/m
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer

The original work, characters or plot do not belong to me.

Sixteen years later

The city was alive with humor and warm with charm. The days that turned to years in the blink of an eye had transitioned without fault more so than as far back as its history dated. As was the norm in almost every saloon or house of pleasure, gossip was the order of the day but at this point everyone had heard about it; the supposed coronation of a certain young Mink.

In the highest tower of Eos where work knew no end, Jupiter was putting the next Ruler of the world she had hand crafted, to the test and surely enough he ran through the phases as effortlessly as he always did.

"These tests of yours are beyond boring now a days," Raven drawled his voice nothing short of an ominous whisper as he crawled out of the simulation room too slothful to actually walk when he didn't have to.

Jupiter watched each calculated moved he made since he had just opened his eyes and even now she couldn't single out even the vaguest pattern of behavior. He had so much power in a finger than she held in her entire system and yet he failed to reveal an ounce of enthusiasm toward it. She watched the freckle faced youth crawl over to the bed that had been added to her quarters to accommodate him during times such as these.

He was a lethargic type, languid and lackluster in all he did and proved to be unresponsive and indolent in his making. He yearned for nothing but something new to challenge his intellect and when that failed he reverted to this state one in which he wrapped himself in her system and allowed the endless threads of data to work its way through him.

In all honesty he had completed the course at the tender age of nine absorbing every ounce of knowledge she held and now he was just shifting into his eighteenth year of life, there was nothing left for him to learn from her. But he welcomed everything that she offered him; having noted long ago that he only did it because he really didn't have anything better to do.

Though he didn't look it he excelled beyond peeks even his father had yet to reach with ease and transcended beyond her just the same. At the moment he only sought to appease his boredom and humor her curiosity in him.

If she could she might have laughed, he really was a bizarre anomaly but she would have never selected anyone else; especially since it was this ambition lacking demeanor which made him perfect for the job.

"I'm going home," he spoke up suddenly as he got to his feet, his immaculate physique he had inherited from his father now in full view which startled the eye every time he actually decided to stand on his own two feet.

"Am I boring you?" she mused already knowing the response.

"Utterly," his tone was nonchalant, the air of boredom around him making way for the word to sting ever time he said it.

By now she was used to it. Knowing that he was relatively impossible to please she tried not to allow it to sting at her pride.

"Safe journey home and please refrain from giving the guards a hard time on the way back those are Orphe's toys not yours," Jupiter commented to his back as he turned to leave, "you shouldn't break things that belong to others."

"It was all in the interest of good fun believe me," he assured her casting him a rare smile that told her that he had all intentions to wreck havoc once again.

She really didn't expect any less and only smiled to herself at the thought, that he wouldn't exactly be the son of Riki the Dark if he didn't cause mischief every once in a while, now would he?

"Good afternoon Master Raven," Hades, a relatively dark Furniture with enough sensual allure to kill, bowed deeply, as the one who resembled Riki the most swept pass him, "welcome home."

"Where's ka-san?" he questioned as he headed straight for Riki's room.

By now Raven stood over a head taller than him, as did every other Blondie in Eos. Raven regarded the Furniture with an assessing glance, like everyone related to him or the Dana Bahn incident, he seemed utterly timeless. Just as he was since they day they were born he was around five feet seven inches and had a far too shapely figure that was the envy of every pet in the Saloon from the time of his memory modifications to present date. Adding his effeminate frame, with the ever gloriously broad swinging hips to his androgynous looks, Raven doubted that the Furniture didn't know he had, he was the most desired furniture on the market today, though many were afraid to admit where their interests lay.

Raven was never one for pleasantries, and never offered a greeting unless, well, he never did; not even once offered greeting or returned it unless it was to his parents.

"Master Riki is with Master Iason celebrating their anniversary of their reunion after death," he explained as he trailed behind the young master who he was soon to be addressing as lord.

"That was today?" he drawled getting down on his hunches on the sofa, the black one with the red pillows Riki had gotten him for his birthday a few years back after noting his weird behavior of either crawling or stooping whenever or wherever he wanted.

With ever swaying graceful step Hades drew eyes and compelled desires to stir in people many didn't even know they had. He had seen it time and again and oddly enough he too have fallen into that trap time again. Though it was the reason why he utterly despised that furniture it was also the reason he adored him. Here in his home the unpredictable always occurred, if nothing else he himself was a result of that, he liked it here well most of the time anyway.

"Your brothers and sister have already gone out to buy them a present-," Hades stated after returning from the kitchen with something for Raven to munch on.

"And spy on them to ensure that all goes well," Raven drawled twirling a lock of hair between his fingers, a habit he had picked up from what he worded as over exposure to Hades as a child.

"That too but you could try to be a bit modest about it," Hades retorted as though he was scolding him.

Raven turned dull and irritated blue eyes on the furniture that put every pet in Eos to shame. Though his sensuous nature and natural finesse betrayed nothing, after living with him for so long he had seen through the looking glass on just the type of conniving opportunist the little devil was. But this much was predictable. After learning how this little pain in the ass became a Furniture, he could only guess that even when he was stripped of his memory he still had enough of his personality intact that made him amongst the most unique in both brain and brawn. But that still didn't change the fact that he was a diehard pain in Raven's ass.

Every time, he made the mistake of coming home to actually spend the night, Hades always stole the chance to shove a spoon down his throat.

Raven sighed, "I'm not hungry," he shoved the plate on the glass table aside with a bare foot.

"Yes I know," Hades, with his ever pleasant smile, pushed the plate back.

With only a though he moved the entire table instead, ripping it clear off the hinges that bolted it down in the process, with relative ease. Getting to his feet he opted for braving it out in the city. No one knew who he was which made it relatively easy to move through the city more so since he was often passed off as a brood, one of those retreatist or ritualist types that withdrew from society but still did the routine functions of ever day life

"Raven honestly," Hades sighed from behind him but he didn't care to listen.

He knew what come next if he turned around wide brown eyes dripping with tears would surely try to persuade him and quite successfully at that too.

"Yes honestly, I won't be that long Ceres isn't far if I teleport there," he stated halting in his steps as Hades by passed him and blocked the only legitimate way out.

He narrowed his eyes at the only person alive that his powers refused to work against. The sole entity that he really couldn't put up a fight against was the one who held sway over his welfare, oh the bitter irony.

"Master Riki has strictly requested that you consume something before making your way into the City," Hades stated bowing deeply, his growing mass of red curls that had gone lazy over the years falling over his shoulders.

"If I leave now there is no way Ka-san would even know that I was here," he wasn't about to stand here and negotiate with the Furniture, a servant of the household that was supposed to do as he was told, "Hades step aside."

But that was only in reference to the norms expected of a Furniture but in this household Hades seemed to be the one giving the orders around here and that was simply unacceptable.

"I apologize, Master Raven, but I will have to refuse. I must insist that you ingest something. According to my report you haven't eaten since day before yesterday," his eyes brows began to knit together in concern.

But he really felt fine; the sensation of hunger was never something he experienced since his first days of existence so he didn't see the necessity to eat so often. In the streets everything was flavorless and bland to his senses thus he never had any inclination to each beyond these walls if any at all.

"Hades for the last time-,"

"Please," his eyes this time around did not grow or brim with tears, "at least for master Riki, he's terribly worried about you."

"As is the norm," he turned on his heels knowing the furniture would never relent.

So the window it would be. Though it was a long drop, he had survived it many times and now would be no different.

But before he could yield to the call of freedom, Hades did it again. He pulled for trump card number two that got to him every time.

"Raven," his tone was the embodiment of seduction as slender arms sought to lock him in Hades embrace from behind, "just this once won't you do it for me."

He gave a mental curse, Hades never fought fair and always opted to bend the rules thus he always won. But not today, Raven gritted his teeth, he was going to stand firm. He knew Hades tricks like the back of his hands; there were limits that even he dear not pass and that was where he fell short. The day was his and he had all intentions of making Hades see that.


	2. Chapter 2

"Welcome back young masters," Hades beamed at the three young Minks as they entered the room with what he assumed to be presents for their parents.

He prayed he wouldn't have to return anything whilst they were watching. It was heart wrenching really but they hardly ever picked out anything their parents liked especially when the one doing all the shopping was Sian. At one point he would have thought it cute but now, dare he say it, it was downright annoying.

By now she too stood above him as did the others, appearing graceful and regal in all her majestic glory until, that was, her lips parted and she uttered a sound. If anything he would have thought Lavender to be the girl with his ever polite speech and reticent deportment. Unlike when they were just toddlers the difference was a lot clearer now although Sian really wasn't meeting his expectations in the bust department. Sure there was something there but it was hardly enough to pass a B cup.

"Hey!" Sian blushed fiercely hiding her chest from view with the gift bag she had been carrying, "why can't you be proud of me for once. Growth takes time."

Though they couldn't read his thoughts they had mastered the art if reading his expressions when he ever so often drop his guard and revealed a look that reflected his actual thoughts.

"I'm sorry Sian," he drew up a chart that was projected from the slim silver band on his wrist that displayed Hade's progressive report on their growth and health, "but the two inches that are added each year is really nothing to celebrate about. Even now, as soon as you open your mouth many can't tell you and your father apart aside from the fact that you wear curls."

"Well excuse me if I'm not perfect," Sian fumed storming off to her room.

Thankful they didn't have any doors to slam, he turned his eyes on Lavender and Siege who were simply watching and waiting.

"You really do enjoy making her angry," Lavender commented after a moments silence to drift into the living room.

"If she hits you, master Riki strongly advices that you sock her one that'll leave a bruise," Hades smiled watching him go before turning his eyes on Siege who was pulling off his coat, "Can I get you anything."

"Brandy would be fine," he stated quite monotonously as he loosened the red tie he wore with the back suit he wore to work on a Friday.

"Water and aspirin coming right up," Hades replied as he went down on one knee to unlace his shoes before accepting his coat, jacket and tie, "rough day on the job?"

"I've seen better days," Siege responded stepping out of his shoes and leaving it by the door in preparations for another hectic morning.

"I've already drawn a bath for you. Please feel free to relax. I'll get dinner off the stove and be with you in a moment."

"Raven has returned early today?" he raised a brow at the empty dishes on the table and his brother curled up and tucked in tight on his favorite Sofa.

"Yes according to my report from Jupiter, he was bored and decided that he wanted to return home," Hades responded as he bustled about doing one thing after another.

"I see," he inched closer to glance over at Raven's sleeping face, only Jupiter alone knew how, much it pleased them all to see him at rest. It was here that they felt closest to him, when he was home passing his hours away in silent slumber.

"He's eaten?" Siege arched a brow at the miracle that did not occur often.

"Yes but he won't be escaping dinner not tonight. Could you be ever so kind as to take him with you to the bath? I'll be there shortly,"

"No need, I can only assume that he had put up one hell of a fight fierce enough to lull him to sleep. Though you never show it I can tell when you're tired even in the slightest, and if not so, holding him down long enough to eat anything must not have been easy. Finish dinner and retire for the day I'll take it from here."

"I thank you for the consideration young master but I will have to insist on this," Hades stated as he cleared the table he had set for Raven, "this is my task. I am after all the existing furniture in the house of mink; it's my duty to see to your wants, needs and welfare not the other way around."

Without need for further debate, Siege unwrapped his brother from his cocoon of fabric before gathering him into arm with evident care; supporting his counter part's weight with expected ease.

"I'll be putting all calls to the Minks private residence on delay till dawn breaks tomorrow," Hades stated watching as the ever cold Seige headed toward the bath house with his brother in arms.

Hades sighed falling against the wall in complete and utter exhaustion. Seige was as perceptive as always, abit too perceptive for Hades at the moment but he couldn't condemn him for it. That was the trait he grasped most from Iason when you took his looks out of the equation. But what else could they have expected of Hades. This was the household of Mink where hectic and chaotic in tanagura was given a definition.

He sighed as a crash sounded Sian's room. As the only female she seemed to crave more attention than the others even now. Adding the fact that she held most of Riki's fierce attitude in her she was the most difficult to deal with. As soon as the mood struck she would swing a fist and sadly it was usually at her brother Lavender or the things nearest to her.

Clamping done any sign of fatigue he drew up a smile to greet Sian with as he drifted to the Lioness' den.

Riki suppressed a smile as Siege carried Hades to his quarters. On yet another rare occasion, Hades after a hectic day, most had passed out somewhere in the house and being the little silent stalker he was, Seige had lingered in the shadows waiting for it to happen. For some reason since Siege was a toddler, he had taken instant liking to Hades and made it his duty of some sorts to look out him.

Riki had picked up on it when Siege was still drifting through the tender age of thirteen. He often followed Hades at a distance and tried to help him where possible. But for Hades who was adept in covering all his bases help being desired was never truly something he had need of but Siege would linger anyway. And in silence he would wait for Hades work to be done and like some sort of programmed machine, power down when the final task had been complete.

It scared Riki at first. Iason was a horrid force to be reckoned with when he was set on something and he didn't want Siege to be Iason's clone. But soon enough those fears passed though he couldn't recall when.

"Are we going to enter or watch him for the rest of the night," Iason questioned from where he stood behind Riki peeking around the corner at Siege who was carrying a slumbering Hades with his hair still a bit damp from the bathhouse.

"Hades is going to give me food poisoning when he finds out we knew what Siege has been doing without telling him," Riki whispered drifting silently into the room trailing behind Siege like a thief in the night.

"Then telling him would suffice to cure that," Iason countered glancing into the spotless kitchen.

Hades failed to ever falter in his duties and that was what he adored most about him. With Riki around Hades would never be penalized for anything but he refused to not draw on his privilege of being in his master's favor and request a day off. It was stubborn and almost foolish but noble all the same.

"Have you no sense of family loyalty. Ratting out on your own son is the absolute lowest," Riki whispered.

"I don't understand the need for dramatics Siege already knows that are aware of what he is doing," Iason reasoned, his monotonous voice irking Riki to no end.

"And your point is what exactly," Riki questioned as he watched Siege tuck Hades into bed the way Hades had taught him years ago, only opting to move when Iason pulled him away, "he's a growing boy Iason semi-android or not it's obvious he likes Hades more than a friend would. If I didn't know better I'd say he was-,"

"Riki this is our anniversary can we not waste the moment spying on Siege…again," Iason's voice unchanging as his expression failed to tell Riki that he was pissed at the very least.

"Jealous doesn't suit you Iason, it never has and it never will," Riki stated brushing by his husband like a play of summer wind, "this is his golden years, the stage in his life he might be bold enough to take a pass at a sleeping furniture and I don't want to miss the opportunity to get it on camera. Who knows if I might need something to blackmail him with in the future?"

"Riki must you-," Iason sighed feeling the weighed of his years on earth even though he had failed to age for even a day since he had been brought back to life.

"Iason I wish you would do me the honors and shut the fuck up," Riki commented as he headed off into their bedroom, "after all these years it pisses me off that you don't know when I'm messing around. But your free to hold a lecture out here if you want," Riki feigned disappointment as he started stripping down for bed, leaving his actions to speak for the words that went unsaid.

Iason stood in the silence for a moment wondering when in all his years that his life had made a sudden turn for…well…this. A house full of children and a very willing Riki, it wasn't as though he was displeased with it, it was just that at the present- what he would have laughed at years ago- at present he couldn't have wanted it any other way.

Undoing his suit he stalked after the lover he would exchange for no other, no matter how often he was tempted.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hold him down!"

The peak of day break found the most infamous pair of lovers waking in a start yet again at the early morning commotion for Raven's preparations to leave for Jupiter's quarters as per usual. Riki grimaced turning his nude frame in Iason's eternal embrace in high hopes of going back to bed.

"Sian lock the door!"

The sound of mayhem being ensued had the lovers rising far too reluctantly. One would think that after eighteen years of putting up with the chaos their family was capable Riki and Iason would have grown accustomed to this by now. But sadly, as another onslaught of crashing and collision sounded in the other room, they were still at odds with why they decided to not abort the sons of bitches when they had the chance.

"Please tell me it's your turn today," Riki offered with a frown as the breakfast table came crashing through their room door with such force it even went through the glass wall on the adjacent side of the room.

"Thankfully its not," Iason began evenly as he slipped out of bed to pull on his night rode that Hades had somehow managed to smuggle into their room without notice, "but call this my a bonus present for our anniversary."

Flopping back into bed Riki scowled hating the idea that Jupiter had come up with the fucked up concept of celebrating the day their bodies had been dug up and reanimated. As joyous as an event as he sure it was he didn't exactly appreciate the thought of celebrating something like that. If anything he would have preferred if they pretended that it never happened but sadly the day, which was also an international holiday had also marked the day when Ceres had been recognized as a City once again.

But at the moment that wasn't his main area of concern, actually it was pretty far from it.

And speaking of days, the day he was fearing would peak over the horizon and snatch his son was only months away.

Riki grimaced at his thoughts as he covered his head with Iason's pillow to drown out the noise he didn't want to miss after his most beloved son was gone.

Iason regarded the chaos caught in suspended animation before him with cold eyes. Though he would rather not use his powers at all, his children would easily make a liar out of him. Every morning was the same, one all out hell of a Spartan war to get a spoon anywhere near Raven who they had promptly bound before he had even risen that morning, after the other, day after day.

"Can someone please explain to me exactly what I need to do to get some semblance of sanity within these walls?" Iason began from where he sat on thin air like the ruler his stoic expression portrayed him to be.

"How about buying a manual on the necessity of the nourishment of food in the daily diet," Hades commented from where he was resetting the breakfast table, unaffected by Iason's impeccable mental capabilities as he made arrangements for the repair team to be on standby.

"I have a better idea, how about a translator that can interpret the sentence, "I don't want to eat" so they can firmly understand," Raven rebutted from where he was suspended in headlock his sister, Sian was getting way too good at.

"As fun as this all is," Siege imparted, the nonchalance in his tone begging to differ being the only one that Iason had exempted from the act of confinement, "I have an appointment with Orphe at six which may I include is in fifteen minutes. I hardly have time for housekeeping matters but if you make a note of it I'll be sure to address the issue as soon as possible," Siege who was simply passing through paused to impart before he left.

Hades sighed as Iason released his mental hold on his little hell raisers only after the soar ach in their joints had sufficed long enough to pass as a minor punishment.

"I honestly hate it when you do that," Lavender commented as Iason reached out to his youngest son on sheer impulse to help him to his feet.

"And I hate when it is I have to," Iason sighed almost certain I it continued like this he would soon have a full head of grey hair, "Sian let Raven go. Shouldn't you Aisha for the soirée preparations for next week's auction?"

"Wait what that was today?" Sian went pale already seeing the hell Aisha, her memtor and supervisor was going to put her through if she arrived late again, "why didn't someone tell me?" she leapt to her feet making a break for her room as she went through a mental check list of all the things they still had piled up from yesterday that needed to be finished before nine today.

And she didn't even pick out anything to wear!

And her hair was…

Iason sighed as sian screamed in distress. Aisha was going to kill her this time for sure.

"I've got this one," Hades stated bowing deeply before taking after her.

"And Lavender I thought you were working with Katze today down in the black market division. Go back to bed. I can't have you falling to sleep on the job again," the nonchalance of his words had Lavender blushing profusely.

"That was only one time-," Lavender pouted shying away from his father's gaze, a habit he carried with him ever since he was a child.

"Once is too many now go. I'll have Hades prepare everything for your leave," Iason dismissed as he did a full visual examination of his son as he slipped out of reach in pouting silence.

Unlike Sian who had chosen a field to pursue that she actually ha interest in, Iason wasn't so confident with Sian's choice to succeed Iason in the Foreign affairs department. With his reticent deportment and timid nature, his future in the field didn't seem too bright. The corruption there was far too great and Iason knew firsthand what it took to survive in that world. He didn't want to see his son break under the strain of it all but crushing his ambitions with his own two hands was something he feared even greater.

He sighed dismissing such troubling thoughts as he turned to the black sheep in his flock, his most treasured son, though he knew with how strained their relationship was, Raven would beg to differ. Iason was the epitome of what a blonde was suppose to appear to be if only on the surface went Raven stood in stark contrast. Though Iason never highlighted such a fact, the wider world combined with Raven's superior intellect could be a force to be reckoned with. There was nothing Raven wasn't aware of and nothing he couldn't comprehend.

"It's way too early to depart, " Iason spoke as Raven made a turn for the door still dressed in his night ware.

"It's not as though I have anything better to do," Rave countered pausing in mid stride to regard emotionless cold eyes with his own indolent, darker pair.

"I really don't care, I can't have you stalking the halls and causing mischief again," Iason offered the burn of his words heightened by his ever laid back tone.

"Well what do you suggest?" Raven opted for folding his legs on thin air having gone far too lazy to actually stand, "you know that my studies under Jupiter are over. I might as well bide my time before Jupiter deemed me fat and ready for the slaughter."

"I take it that you speak of your coronation as the next god of our world?" Iason stated as Hades passed behind them on his com system ordering a cocktail suit he had picked out for Sian as he went about the early morning bath preparations.

"Why father however did you guess it," his slothful tone dripped sarcasm as dark eyes followed the furniture out the room, "I see nothing gets past you, however did you guess it."

"I would rather you not test my temperance with your attitude," Iason could feel the beginning of a migraine edging on.

This always happened every time he sat alone in a room with Raven. There was always some level of tension and hostility between them, it was nerve grinding. It was obvious Raven preferred Riki over him since he was closer in all aspects. But as to why Raven refused to see eye to eye with him was one of the many great mysteries he would love to unearth. It didn't matter what he tried Raven simply refused to let Iason in even on a basic level.

Raven averted his eyes to Riki as he drifted out of the bedroom and headed for the kitchen in nothing but his night robe, after checking if the morning terror had finally been settled.

"I'm surprised your still here," Riki commented when he spotted Raven as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"I'm surprised you're out of bed this early," Raven countered as Riki headed over to him.

"Feeling like a smartass are we," Riki smiled smacking him lightly upside his head.

"When don't I though," Raven responded idly as Iason watched the instant flow of chemistry.

"Would you look at that, the little punk has attitude," Riki stated running a hand through Raven's Hair to pull it away from his eyes, "your hairs growing wild again."

"I happen to like it this way," Raven drawled relaxing under Riki's touch.

"Well I don't," Riki said pulling Raven to stand on his feet, "it hides your eyes"

"Hence why I like it," Raven responded as Hades drifted out the bathroom with his sleeves rolled up as he headed to the kitchen talking over his telecom system with Raoul about his concerns with Sian's development or lack thereof and a medically recommended method on how to get Raven to eat with using a physical means.

"I 'm going to cut it so be sure to be in around twelve," Riki stated examining the freckles that paved a faint path over his cheeks and over his nose, "I really don't know who you got these from," Riki whispered to himself before glancing back at Iason who surprisingly had never questioned them even once.

"Why would I question it?" Iason responded openly to Riki's thoughts, "he's our son and that's all that counts."

Riki rolled his eyes and sighed, were discretion was concerned the guy was beyond salvation.

"Come on let's get something in you before you run off and wreck havoc again," Riki stated taking firm hold of his son as he led him into the kitchen, "and don't think I'm letting you off the hook today."

As per usual as long as it was Riki, Raven had no complains.

Iason grimaced inwardly as he watched them go, brushing off a stab of pain he had felt quaking in his chest.


	4. Chapter 4

~three months later~

"This is an outrage it goes against everything the Blondie legacy stands for..."

"Sadly it doesn't look like a joke…"

"…that brat is going to take Jupiter's place…"

"Where in Hell did he crawl from? he looks like he's about ready to make a run for it…"

"That sprout is to be our leader.."

Hades did a mental count to a hundred in an effort to calm himself as he stood there listening to one insult fall after another. It had been the third day since Jupiter had introduced Raven as a likely candidate for supremacy after her fall from power to all the rules and important figure on Eos and intergalactic worlds and yet the worst of it had yet to blow over. Unlike the rest of the Mink household that sat at the heart of the gathering looking as glamorous and ethereal as humanely possible, Riki and Hades had opted to be excluded from the social gathering of pompous assed rich filth that would be littering the place.

The event had just begun as the other Blondies gathered to take their places at the table with Iason's family and Hades had already had it with the lot of them.

"My my so we do meet again," a familiar voice from behind accompanied by a brave hand on his ass told Hades that the worse just kept on getting better.

Without a glance over his shoulder he could have guessed who the brave deer in the head lights had been without so much as an afterthought. Sir Vincent Astol was another one of the more prominent figures here tonight noted most for his intellectual achievements than his birth right.

"Good day Sir Astol what an unwelcomed surprise," Hades offered a gentle smile as the man circled in front of him blocking his view of the Family he was worrying his hair out over, "I see you've managed to hound me down yet again."

"Well said love and must I say it was no easy feat to track you down," Sir Astol, a man of outstanding good looks and a regal presence stated with the ever present smile that irked Hades to no end.

"Why whatever do you mean," he managed to maintain his smile as he cursed himself for standing out so much in the crowd.

After going so far as to falsify the general information about his lack of attendance today and going through all the trouble of sneaking in here he still managed to be found. And might he add that Tanguran security systems were by far the best there was. If he hadn't gone through the trouble of stealing the blue prints from Orphe's private quarters then he wouldn't have been able to so much as fathom the thought.

"Oh I think you know," he turned peculiar gold eyes on the object of his extreme fascination with obvious primal bemusement that confessed that he was making a game out of this, "I searched high and low to see if you'd be attendance tonight and everything came up blank. I don't know who you are or how you did it but I must say that I would have it no other way. You're more than what meets the eye and I happen to like that in a person."

Hades felt a tinge of sheer disgust at his words. The man was giving him some seriously bad vibes and if his intuition was anything to go by then without a shadow of a doubt this guy was everything but good news.

"You give me too much credit," Hades opted to say as a minor vibration of his com system on his wrist dragged his attention to the glowing band on his hand.

By the faint trace of blue he could tell that it was a domestic call.

What?

Riki was the only one at home and he rarely ever needed Hades aid especially when he only wanted breakfast and dinner and standard bath time all of which he was learning to go about himself if Hades didn't beat him to the punch.

"My thoughts on the young Raven Mink you say?" Sir Astol's words drew Hades from his thoughts as a woman directed a question at him, "sorry I have no real objections there. Despite how he looks I have no doubt that he is quite powerful. Jupiter is no fool, I'm sure she knows what she's doing in the grand scheme of things"

Hades stole the opportunity to slip out of sight in that moment. Though it fascinated him to hear what Vincent had to say, duty called.

Raoul once again found himself with a very compromising situation, which made a grand total of twice in his life time. It had started out as a mundane day for him going over a few lessons with Siege who had sauntered in with forensic reports from Orphe, who too had the young mink under his tutelage. And dare he say that Siege Mink had the hands of the Angels on an operating table. It was a divine gift the day Siege had opted to be his pupil and in all honesty nothing could make him happier than passing on what he knew to such a skilled subject even though it caused him great distress at the thought he would have to share him.

But those thoughts at the moment were irrelevant.

He looked at Hades and then back at the heavily sedated Riki on his operating table before him.

"Well doctor?" Hades pressed with a look of extreme distress.

"I'm sorry but it's as I told you before," Raoul sighed pulling off his gloves and dumping them in the hands of one of his assistants.

"I'll contact master Iason right away," Hades stated in a resigned tone not entirely sure if he wanted to be the one to deliver this kind of news right now.

But valuing his life the way he did he contacted Iason on his person com system.

"Hades this isn't the best of times," was Iason's immediate response on answering.

Flinching a bit at the tone Hades swallowed hard and gave a sheepish smile, "well master Iason, if you're standing up right now," Hades glanced at Riki as he stirred ever so slightly, "you might want to consider sitting down."

Iason wasn't in the best of moods at the moment in fact setting the room ablaze with everyone and everything in it was exactly how he felt. But like the figure of regality and elegance he was he opted to move the royal dining table on the highest balcony and from prying eyes.

How dare they judge his son as though he were a lost mongrel that crept in off the streets?

Well though his attitude did well to depict that whilst Raven wouldn't even object to the notion, he wasn't about to sit there while they all but slaughtered his son's name.

And beyond himself and opposed to anything he had ever done he did the unthinkable…

…the unforgiveable…

The memory of the voices swirling cross the room just as loud as each condemning thought fought its way into awareness once again. Iason took a deep breath after emptying his wine glass. He had meant to do it but it had been just a faint thought, he hadn't willed his powers to follow his whim but it did anyway and just like that the gorgeous pristine chandelier that flooded the room in a transcended flood of light came crashing to the floor.

Blood colored the carpet with a crimson kiss as dozens lost their lives whilst hundreds fortunate to still be alive might just find themselves permanently scarred.

But despite all that he felt no regret.

As though the act had been reflexive Raven had all but erected a shield around their table without so much as a bat of an eyelid as his eyes fell on his Father. Though Iason was certain that Raven had the incapability of breaching the walls of his mind he was often tempted to believe otherwise. Without second guessing it, Raven had known that Iason had done it even though he had pretended, like the rest of his siblings, to be at odds with the truth.

He had been careless.

Iason scowled himself. Hating so much when all he could think about, without even so much as a shroud of guilt, was that they deserved it!

They all deserved to die for their insolence.

At odds and in shock at his own thoughts and blood lust he was beyond infuriated. And it was in that time that Hades found his communications unit with the most distressing news.

"Hades this is not the best of times," thinking it might have been a minor social call about repairmen expenses.

If only he had known how wrong he was.

"Well…master Iason if you're standing right now. You might want to consider sitting down,"

For some reason at the sound of his voice and a sense of dark foreboding, Iason found himself sighing for the umpteenth time today. And of course, as he had predicted, it was the worst kind of news he could possibly fathom at a time such as this.


	5. Chapter 5

Iason sat in silence nonchalant eyes on his heavily sedated lover in one of Raoul's health incubator's, on oval shaped table that had a glass dome which covered it. it had been monitoring Riki's health status for hours now but the results were fluctuating on stagnant. According to Hades he had found Riki exactly as he was when Raoul had arrived, unconscious and face down in a pool of his own blood.

At the moment there was no signs of external forces at work were detected, but Orphe's report on the situation had yet to reach him since the soiree over the coronation decisions was still in progress.

Iason had left Siege in charge in his stead more so since he was the most reliable and with him making the decisions things would act accordingly with no risks or fears of faults, which in fine gave Iason enough things off his conscience to leave Riki as the center of his attention.

What could have happened?

Iason watched Riki's unmoving form now bruising and slowly distorting.

"Riki," Iason took a breath feeling the presence of Riki's conscience at the back of his mind.

Despite having lost a majority of the power he held, unknown to all but Iason, Riki still held an unbreakable bond, mental and physical.

It had started a few months after the babies had been born. Riki's telekinetic abilities had slowly begun to fade even as the children and Iason's grew tenfold with each breath they took. By the time the children were old enough to decide on a more realistic view on what they wanted to pursue in life, Riki had all but lost a majority of the power he held sway over after he had been reanimated. Now Riki simply went back to his old self before he had gained his abilities, though there were still small tasks he could accomplish with the powers he had. Telepathy, levitation and traveling through planes were still at his disposal which Iason was silently glad for. And when he had all but thought Riki's regression had stopped months ago, this happens.

-o0o-

"I'm sure master Riki will be as right as rain very soon so there really is no need for the long faces," Hades stated trying to sound as convincing as possible as he was once again bustling about making breakfast, adding the final touches to the bathes and rearranging Master Iason's schedule for the umpteenth time.

It had been only two days since the incident that had Riki under intense medical care and already there was chaos peeking over the horizon. Against his better nature it would seem that Iason had made it rather clear that he would be out of office e until Riki's health had ceased it's endless plummeting and made a miraculous turn for the worse, hence leaving Hades to bind the pieces. This was very much out of character for that Mink especially knowing how much of a fine line he was treading with this peculiar household he had. His flawless management of his duties that could be equated to only one other was the only reason sever judgment had not had been cast on him. For Iason to falter now would see a tragedy that knew no bounds.

To see Iason lose not only his lover but his children, this time around, was not something Hades could even fathom baring witness to. And by the miracles of the stars alone would it come to pass, if Hades had any say in it.

Though he could in no way or form perform Master Iason's task in his stead, he could very much do all he could to aid him.


	6. Chapter 6

-o0o-

"Why won't they tell us anything or at least let us see Ka-san?" Sian offered in response as she sipped at another cup of black coffee.

Like good little clones of Iason they had obediently sat here, in the Family meeting room in silence, waiting for any and all updates on Riki's status, when it isn't they weren't performing business as usual. Without Iason around they were surprisingly well behaved, too concerned to cause mischief or draw the public eyes otherwise.

"I'm sure father has his reasons for the secrecy," Siege who was adding the final touches to his attire as the first to get ready for work informed, "in father's absence it is now more than ever that our faith and temperance is tried. Yielding to ignorance would be a disgrace on our family name Sian."

"I don't need you to remind me of that," Sian snapped putting the cup aside, "but he's our Ka-san we should at the very least be able to…"

As Siege offered her one of his rare look of utter admonishment well hidden behind the ever present stoic mask he wore on a constant, Sian pursed her lips hard enough to seal them shut if she had so wished it. And with only that, he drew her raving and ranting to a close. Sian couldn't understand why but despite being her brother whenever he looked at her that way she felt bound by his gaze and chilled by the void within it. For some reason when he did it she felt as though Iason was standing right there, scolding her for being an upstart, the way he used to when she was a child.

She had always hated that look.

Sian would have rather the flesh be flayed off her bones to having to see that look. It was as though that look of sheer emptiness killed the light inside its host and took possession of the body for only a flicker of a moment and within those few moments she would see it. She would see him, the Iason Mink before the days of Riki the dark.

With just that, her heart would falter and leave her terrified, terrified that he would do things far worse than she could ever fathom to her. He would break her and rip her limb from limb with that unchanging expression painted on his face. With just that look she saw the true face of who Iason was, the Iason Riki would never tell them about.

But sadly that wasn't what had chilled her this time around. In fact it was just a part of it. What did however horrify her into mortified silence was the very fact that Siege had somehow managed to develop the same habit down to ever small intricate detail and what she feared far worse was that not only did he know how to do but also how well it had suited him.

As if that one look depicted his true nature, merciless, stoic, a master piece of beauty that was cold to the bone and void of emotion. She knew she had to be wrong but she couldn't help believing that that was the true face of not only her gentle and caring father but also her loving and compassionate brother.

"I know your frustrated we all are but you need not let the world see your troubles," in an instant that look that was on his face was gone and then there she saw her poised and compassionate brother again, "there are many people who will take prey on your heart if you do not protect it away." He tipped up her chin as she sought to avoid his eyes, "I know how you feel but think of this all as a game of war more or less and that Ka-san has been injured in battle. As soldiers of the imperial Mink Empire we must soldier on to avenge the fallen and protect the wounded."

Sian offered the shadow of a smile at the most callous yet direct example to use; he truly was a prodigy of Orphe.

"As I said I don't need a lesson from you, Ka-san would die from laughter if he ever heard of it," Sian stated schooling her expression as she brushed his hand on her aside.

"Now that sounds a bit more like the answer I want to hear," he turned to leave on that note, "on that note I will take my leave, if I am needed for maters of extreme urgency you know how to immediately otherwise my com system will have to suffice," Siege was handed his overcoat briefcase, breakfast and brunch from Hades who was breezing through very much at the right moment to see the first Mink off.

"Which suite would you prefer for y=the grand auction opening?" Hades questioned whisking over to Sian who was still seated by the table to instantly get started on pulling up her hair in preparations for her bath, "According to a draft of the evening arrangements that Orphe had sent to the household I noticed that quite a few rulers of nations off world will be there. So I assume the blue and gold suit will suffice."

After being the one to dress her most of her life he had already known what she had wanted before she had even thought up what it was she was even going to consider wearing. But even though that was the first thought to jump to mind, the pants suits she had tailored to fit a week ago, she decided against it.

Frankly she detested dresses since she hardly believed she had anything to fill it with but right not she felt like being the apple of everyone's eyes. But not just any dress would suit her, well not any dress that would catch her fancy. But luck for her she had a furniture that could make a miracle out of a disaster if she had dared to ask it of him, which sadly was what she was about to do now.


	7. Chapter 7

-o0o-

At that moment in Orphe's Laboratory

"There is truly no scientific explanation that I could give you to explain this phenomenon," Raoul breathed even as he went through the mountainous pile of records that represented all the date he had gathered on Riki's health since his reanimation.

In only a day and a few hours since the incident, Riki's health had deteriorated at a drastically level. The once dark beauty molded by the charms of the night was now horrendous to behold. By now most of his hair had withered away along with most of the fat on his bones. Now a distorted shadow of his former self he seemed as though the definition of dying was upon his now skeletal frame.

And yet though he didn't look it, his vital signs were perfectly normal and his brainwaves were undisturbed. Despite all his efforts to locate the problem, according to all his research and serial tests Riki from the scientific perspective was a healthy as ever.

But why?

Never in all his years had Raoul ever seen such a scientific madness.

But sadly, at the moment, the rigid laws of nature being uprooted wasn't his area of greatest concern, in fact, it was very far from it.

He turned to glance at Iason who was now seated in mid air his eyes trained on his lover's distorting form. Through it all Iason had sat there without uttering a word of concern or disgust and that in itself was of great concern to Raoul.

He had known Iason long enough to understand his modes of silence but this was once he had never seen in the man. In his silence nothing could be read or understood, as though at this very moment Iason was completely thoughtless and hovered amongst the living in body alone.

Of course Raoul had tried to approach him, tried to see if Iason was still in the land of the living but as it would turn out, he was being blocked, by Iason's impeccable growing powers of the mind. Whenever Raoul tried to touch him, he would find himself back where he was before he even thought of approaching the Mink almost as if he was being automatically teleported there on sheer instinct.

Though Raoul would be glad to take that as a warning and leave Iason alone as he desired with how things were he couldn't brush aside the feeling that he couldn't leave Iason to his own devices.

You see…

Raoul yanked off his gloves in exchange of a fresh pair he kept in his top pocket as he took up a pen and chart he used to scribble his private notes on. Knowing that anything he held in his data bank online was open to Jupiter he often wrote down the notes he refused to reveal to Jupiter at the moment here. And at the moment those notes he wanted Jupiter to know nothing of so happened to pertain to her most favored son.

Iason as Raoul had reluctantly observed was undergoing the exact opposite of his counterpart. Just calling him healthy would be a shallow understatement of the truth. He was absolutely radiant so much so that his beauty would be the envy of the Gods themselves. From here Raoul could feel the growing power emanate off the favored son in waves that seemed to multiply tenfold.

Whether it was the phenomenon of The Spaces In between" that was still having an effect on them or not, Raoul had an inkling feeling that stabbed at his gut that told him rather clearly if he didn't solve this mystery, if he didn't do something…do anything…then surely he wouldn't just have Riki and Iason's blood on his hands but for some strange reason their children as well.


	8. Chapter 8

oOo

Jupiter watched from the nerve center of the city she resided in as the rumors spread like a plague. Raven was the one she had chosen as her candidate for the next ruler of this world and many were not pleased. The lords of Kingdoms off world had found this to be quiet an unfavorable choice on her part and already thoughts of challenging her decision was under way.

If she could feel she would have laughed at the moment's dark muse.

People had questions…

Did Iason really agree to this madness?!

What was his say in all this?!

But the mink in question was nowhere to be found by the off worlders who sought his council. Jupiter turned her gaze to the hologram directly linked to Raoul's lad only to find it exactly as it were days, hours, minutes or seconds before. He hadn't moved in even the slightest.

Jupiter was not pleased by this but she too could do nothing even if she knew what was wrong. If she had spoke of it now surely Iason would dismantle her here and now and she would rather not be taken apart before her time of expiry.

No in fact she would rather fancy seeing how all this would end before she went to join the men who had made her centuries ago.

oOo

Raven rocked back on his heel reconsidering going home after managing to sneak past the security detail after days of studying all the blueprints, pulling off what many could not and what others dared not even attempt.

He sighed drifting through the crowd, shoulders slumped, hand shoved in his pockets and head hung low.

With Riki absent he had no desires to return home especially not when silence was the order of each passing day. Since that night with the accident and Riki being sent to intensive care, no one had either seen or heard from Iason either and Jupiter knows that they had tried.

Unlike the others who could not reach either of the men in question, Raven could. He had known exactly where they were and had even seen them in that void separated by waterfall of darkness. But he hadn't attempted to call out to them. Not when some darker part of him was hell bent on convincing him that he was the last being on the face of the earth that either parent would want to see.

Lavender was still a baby in the bunch, he would always be welcome no matter what he did.

Sian was a temperamental loud mouth spoil brat but they tolerated her for a long as she'd like.

And Siege…

Now he was as on a whole different scale from the rest of them and would have been a perfect replica of Iason if he didn't have that questionable fetish for their furniture, and fetish was putting that weird obsession for the furniture, Hades, that had practically raised them, mildly. But in fact if you looked it under a microscope you could say that in fact Iason and Seige, though not the same were two peas in a pod, when it came down to their strange interests.

Raven glanced at a shady bunch of guys gathered in the alley across the street but otherwise ignored them in favor of his present train of thoughts.

Siege was mature, sharp as a razor's edge, handsome and got all Iason' best aspects as a Blondie to boot. He was the pride of the entire blondie society and on many accounts it could be heard of who would be next in line to tutor him, if Seige desired it. As miraculous as the thought of blondies debating over such a thing was, now Raven had seen it all.

It wasn't as though he envied his brother. In fact he too was proud of Seige so much so that he didn't understand why Jupiter had not chosen Seige instead of him.

Siege was too refined in his making to ever pester either Iason or Riki which made it even better, because they would always come to him. As children you could say that Seige didn't change at all but back then it was evident that because Seige was so reluctant to feel anything short of pride they would always have to meet the Mink half way through and for every given opportunity they would.

But Raven was…

Raven decided that maybe he did need to see the other side of the fence again today. Afterall, unlike his siblings the bright lights weren't his thing, he just wasn't built for it…

He was different…

 _Thirteen years ago~_

 _They had gone out to Midas Park for the first time since they had been conceived and it mainly due to that reason why Raven would never forget it. There had been a recreation program at the timeused to recreate what this park had once looked liked for the first time after the machine era over two centuries ago and the Minks were the first to experience it. Mind you it wasn't out of exclusive priveleges but rather out of sheer chance; being at the right moment at the right time._

 _Sian had been the first to take to it like a moth to the flames taking off for the primitive devices. Seige had found greater delights in simply following Hades about the place, trying for all its worth to keep Sian in sight and out of harm's way._

 _Lavender bit the dust soon after he had gone through combat training, coming along even though Iason had already predicted that he would have fallen asleep half way through the trip._

 _Picking up frailty given form that was Lavender Iason turned his attention to Raven who had yet to move finding a simple solace of being wherever it was that Riki was. Beside Ka-san Raven didn't feel that different._

" _Will you not join them?" Iason enquired drawing Raven's attention._

 _But the simple answer was always the same and thus he simply didn't respond._

 _No._

 _He didn't want to join them._

 _He didn't want to see the lines, see the comparisons being made, see how much worry there was with every step he took. Raven had known that his family cared about him and it was for that reason why he would stay here and out of firing range._

" _I think I got this one," Riki stated taking Raven by the hand already knowing that Raven was very distant and even more so around Iason for reason that remained unsaid yet understood clearly between them._

 _Taking it as though being dismissed, Iason drifted away like the regal figure he was and nothing short there of even if he had a sleep Lavender snuggling for comfort against his shoulder._

" _If you need me call for me I have tasks that need attending to," Iason stated evenly as he attempted to hand over Lavender to Katze who he was understudying._

 _But the boy was quite attached to Iason, well enough so to hold on tighter when his source of comfort seemed to be threatened._

" _You wanna talk about it?" Riki questioned with exhaling deeply as he slipped into a low crouch and hugged Raven loosely blocking his view of Iason and his fussy brother whose father complex as mild as it may have seemed was evidently going to be a problem in the future if they didn't snip that bud now._

 _But then again, Iason had a screw loose in his chest for Lavender and would humor the boy even if he sought to take the world by storm tomorrow._

 _Relaxing in his Ka-san's embrace Raven shook his head and simply watched the others in the park instead._

" _You do know that we love you right?" Riki questioned frowning as he watched one of the android security drift by in the back ground._

 _Raven knodded slowly._

" _Don't force yourself to lie to me," Riki stated giving Raven a pat on his nose with his finger, "you say that you know and I think that you do but do you really feel that way?"_

 _Raven shook his head and simply looked on glancing at nothing in particular thankful that Hades was the only one who could read his thoughts and wasn't want to speak of the things he saw or heard in Raven's head._

" _And why not you're as much a mink as your brothers and your sister," Riki assured him, "but this isn't about them is it? No this is about Iason isn't it?"_

 _Raven remained silent for a while before trying to slip out of Riki's grasp but he wouldn't let him._

" _So I was right this is about him," Riki sighed pulled his son tighter in his loving embrace, "he loves you more than this world why is it that you can't see that?"_

 _Raven's small shoulders slumped in defeat._

 _He had heard Riki say that over and over again and yet he had never heard Iason say it._

 _Iason was prefect and so were his siblings. He didn't belong here and he didn't know why Riki couldn't see that!_

" _I know what it is that your thinking but your wrong," Riki breathed watching as Sian broke out in a fit of wail after fall off of the many contraptions that filled Midas park only to have Hades rushing over to administer immediate first aid._

 _And like a true sport she was back at it again._

" _But its true isn't it? W'ong or not," Raven turned teary eyes on Riki at his wits end with pretending as though he too saw the line and contrasts, "Everyone says it!"_

" _Have I ever said you were different?" Riki regarded his son with sadness so deep Raven flinched, "and even if you are different, even if you didn't turn out like another clone of Mink. It doesn't make you any less than anyone else. Look at this way you got your good looks from me instead," Riki stated offering Raven a smile even when Raven could see the pain eating away at Riki's heart._

" _Come on," Riki got to his feet taking Raven by a tiny hand before heading off without a words notice._

" _Where are we going?" Raven asked taking at least two steps each time Riki took one._

" _We're going to where being a non blond does seem like a bad thing," Riki stated before grabbing Rvaen suddenly and tossing him up high instantly prompting a fit of laughter out of the boy when he caught him and held him tightly._

 _That day they seemed to have walked a mile before they had arrived but igt wasn't exactly the place he had been expecting._

" _We're in Ceres?" Raven observed watching as the bustle of men, women and even children flowed through the streets tired from work and school yet rejuvenated by the idea of going home. Though he knew that no Blondies existed here he hadn't exactly paid the idea any mind up until now._

" _Look mommy its Raven!"the familiar voice of chatter as she came charging toward them a little head of night held together by a red ribbon came charging through the crowd._

" _Well well fancy this," Rena mused having tailed her youngest child through the evening bustle, "I guess you could say she still has the ability to smell you from a mile away._

" _That or her telepathy is getting better," Riki laughted as Rena all but tried to climb him like a tree to get her hands on Raven who had climbed over Riki's shoulder and unto his back to avoid her, "I've been picking up on her wave lengths since I was on the old out skirts its seems that she has this place covered up to the corner. I doubt anyone can get in or out without her knowing."_

" _Well there is that too," Rena stated as she came to peel Chatter off of Riki just before she could grab at Raven's hair that veiled the eyes she loved so much._

" _And here I thought I'd never get a chance to see the prince before his coronation," Dante stated almost startling them stiff as he appeared in a rush of gathering light._

" _Don't even joke about that," Riki replied with a faint smile at the little blondies muse or an attempt at it anyway, knowing that he was bursting at the seams to get his hands on Raven too._

" _Trouble in paradise then?" Dante stated as Raven hopped off his perch on Riki to immediately drift toward Dante like the kindred spirits that they were._

 _For a moment they watched as Dante and Raven held hands, the warm grow they produced on contact drawing the eyes of passers by who offered passing glances and nothing more, before continuing on their way. Riki watched as they communed, sharing years wealth of information in under mere minutes, the way they had often been caught doing even as toddlers fresh out the cradle and wobbling about on shaky legs._

" _I see I'm not the only outsider looking in." Raven sighed lazily when they parted, "but did your dad really say that."_

" _He is a strange on but he doesn't tell jokes," Dante stated as they strolled off completely forgetting that they weren't the only ones there._

 _Leaving there parents and the rest of the world behind they went off to the old factory, the only article of history that still stop as it once was. It was riddled with graffiti and had a horrid odour around it that they could quite place. But since no one came here anymore which made it the best place for the little ones to find peace._

" _Why are we here?"_

" _Because I lead and you followed," Dante stated matter of a fact "But as to where we're going that's a different story,"_

" _And we are going where exactly?" Raven enquired as he glanced around at the ruins._

" _We're going to where all this started for Fate and the rest of us and even for you," Dante stated extending a hand toward Raven who only looked at it for a moment._

" _I don't understand,"_

" _I think I've found something, I'm not sure what it is yet but is think no I feel as though it is of grave importance. But since you are here I think its something you must see as well,"_

" _And this something-,"_

" _I have no idea what it is but I have the vaguest idea that you will," Dante stated evenly his length blond hair swaying in a gentle brush of wind._

 _Swallowing down his doubt he took the hand extended toward him._

 _But if he had known then what he had found out later on he would have ran back crying to Riki instead. But sadly life was never that kind. And thus he ventured with Dante to place he never should have and seen things that were never met to be seen. And that was where he met her._

 _The First One…_

 _She was displeased to see him, this abomination of all the laws she had tried to establish for decades after her making. She was the embodiment of darkness yet she was as radiant as it could get._

 _But if her scorn was all there was to see then possibly it may all have ended well but then they had seen it in her and she had seen it in them. It was her core, shards of essence embedded deep within them._

 _She had tried to take it but her attempt was in vain, they were not from her time and could not be touched and thus they returned. They had never spoken of it even to this day and they did not return to that place again but they had known, they had felt when the lever had been pulled and something changed._

 _They had met her…_

 _The First One._

 _Jupiter's first prototype._

 _She was far more beautiful and yet far more vain and idealistic. So much so that they had learnt on that day that the Jupiter they now knew was by far the more lenient._

" _Are you alright?" Dante questioned when they had returned turn his eyes on Raven who was terror stricken at the very least, so much so that even as the tears streamed from his eyes it seemed as though he wasn't even aware, "Raven, you mustn't take her words to heart,"_

 _Raven pressed there foreheads together to extract the fear of and self disgust that seemed to block his friends judgment._

" _She said-," Raven stated look on with wide horrified eyes as thou The First still stood before him._

 _Dante hugged him suddenly, "I heard her clearly but rest assured whatever she said was aimed at us both. So she said that you're an abomination, she said that about me too. You must not be so quick to toss aside your tears over the smallest of things, you're the only Mink who can shed actual tears, you need to treasure them."_

" _But-,"_

" _But nothing I brought you there to have a look at her core not to be berated by her. Inside her and inside us exist the same thing so regardless of our differences in appearance we are still the same on the inside. Thus if we are abominations then as is she, after all I am certain that Blonds weren't the one that had made her," Dante stated evenly as he dried Raven's tears, "nothing is truly perfect no matter how well made it is."_

 _After a moment's silence they decided to head back once again as Dante lead and Raven followed. But soon enough with neither being wholly capable of being quiet they stated to chatter on endlessly about their families and their lives and how very different yet exactly the same they were_.

oOo

present~

Raven grimaced at the horde of hoodlums he had the misfortune of seeing twice in one day. Once in the alley way and now on the back alley to Ceres. You would naturally assume that he was a glutton for punishment for slinking around in the alleyway in the late afternoon but, if he walked anywhere else there was no doubt that Chatter who be able to sniff him out.

"Looks like day today ain't your lucky day there friend," the one who he assumed to be more trouble than he was worth with the neon blue hair and persuasive smile spoke up coming of the shadows.

Rave sighed watching them with dull eyes. There were twelve in total some bigger than others but just as worthless. If they intended to annoy him they were going to need more than this to compensate for it. As it would seem that regardless or Fate's best efforts, trash like these who continued to sully the name of Ceres still managed to fester in the recesses.

They weren't worth the time.

Stepping forward with every intent to simply by pass them, he wasn't surprised when they attempted to grab him from behind only to fall short when he stepped aside.

"Well aren't you a slick one," the one with the neon hair stated as Raven continued on his way only to fall short when the little neon haired one blocked his path again, "but I'm afraid we still can't let you off. See we're in a big bite with the loan sharks on the up end and its either we gank you or he ganks us."

He remained silent but some of the other seemed to have grown impatient and came at him with full force. But in only a blur of movements they had found themselves worst for wear with the little neon haired guy as the exception.

"Now then," Raven came a bit closer forcing the neon haired guy to step a back too shocked to form actual words, "let's say I can help you even though it's not in the way you want. Let's go pay these sharks a on the up end as you say, a visit," Raven attempted a smile of his own but as a son of mink he was well aware of how sinister it may have appeared.

But then again if he was ever uncertain as the neon haired guy turned to run screaming for help in sheer terror Raven could rest assured that his smile wasn't one for the cover of the cities holographic billboards, but he was quite fine with that.

0.0

Okay hello -.-

*fidgets* so I just sorta came up with something last minute. I've been thinking for week and as it turns out my plot bunnies will not calm down I keep writing and changing it so now I just wrote and I'm rocking with this.

I hope no one will get lost by the wayside

So till next time share RnR and let me know what you thinks and Amyridee43sessh and XANI this chapter is actually dedicated to you two. I mean I didn't even consider writing this until I saw your reviews so thanks a million skittles to you and everyone else who read, reviewed and haven't given up on this fic even when I wanted to ^-^

Cheers !


	9. Chapter 9

oOo

Katze, lost in an evening of complex translation, was study of worry and concern.

With distant eyes he watched as Lavender issued orders in a way that only a true Mink could. It had been almost a week since Riki's incident to which no results had been found, the young Minks had seemed harder, colder and so much like the creature that Katze had become familiar with before he even knew of Riki the Dark.

As far as he knew Iason was still locked in Raoul's lab dead to this world in all but body and riki…

The glass he had been holding cracked in his grasp but he ignored it.

Riki… the last time he saw him, he had looked as close to a corpse as it got…

Katze glanced at Lavender who was doing the final inspection on the last of the cargo and he couldn't help but flinch at the idea of what he would do if he saw Riki now. What would any of them do if they saw Riki now.

Katze allowed his eyes to slide shut but the image of a skeletal form with hallowing eyes, fragile enough to break at the slightest touch made him open his eyes once again. After he had seen Riki having hacked the central intelligence mainframe after Raoul had sent out the report to the other Blondies, Katze could only wish that he had never seen it.

The image constantly haunted him and an anxiety that he knew not the origins of swelled and grew in his chest as the days passed by. He was worried, Katze had realized, worried about Lavender. He had never seen the young Mink work as hard as he did now and where, days ago, he would have scowled the little Mink to stay focused now he was worried that he was too focused. Everything was scrutinized and all he wanted were flawless results.

It was becoming easier and easier to see Iason in Lavender and Katze in all honesty…

Hated it.

-oOo-

Seige watched as the Raoul tried his hardest to work at the projectile documents that littered the room under the telekinetic onslaught swirling around the room. Reinforcing the force field had had erected around the Blondie Seige tried to follow along with all the files that he had hurdled in his way.

Saying he was unprepared would be a sufficient excuse only if his family were the sort to give them.

Only three hour ago he had received an emergency alert from Raoul on his Com-unit that only instructed him to meet with him in the lab. Very much used to Raoul's antics well enough to know that an emergency message was only sent in actual emergencies he had dropped everything only to walk into storm of chaos.

The room was a tornado of equipment and basically everything that wasn't his father or Riki's capsule. He had seen Riki's condition and if he was a lesser man then his heart would have given out on him a long time ago but for some reason even though it killed him to see it, by telling himself that he could and would endure the sight of his parents at the worst made the sight a little less taxing to see.

As he had been the last time Raoul had sent for him, Iason was simply seated there before the capsule that hosted the withering Riki, suspended in midair as though the feat was something of child's play.

He had seen the stark contrast back then but now it was blaringly obvious what he was seeing; a confirmed suspicion if nothing else. As opposed to a week ago Riki was little more than a corpse that had been dug up after years of mummification all bones and decaying flesh whilst Iason was the exact opposite.

If he was to put a word to what he was now seeing Seige would have said that he looked almost…well…omit almost…his father, Iason looked…

God-like.

Glowing with an inner radiance, and touched by a wind that caressed only him there was no other way to describe him. And the power radiating off Iason was by far the chillingly immense. But that wasn't what bothered Seige in fact it was in his nature to feel nothing short of pride to sense such power in his own father. However there was a more dominate feeling that overshadowed all else here and that was something he had never felt until a week ago and it had only managed to grow stronger still.

A week ago he had though it was the bond that they had shared but now he wasn't so certain.

Within Iason more so than usual he could sense something else, something more familiar. It had taken him a while to wrap his head around it days ago but now, looking at the decaying body of his Ka-san, he knew exactly what he felt and he was certain that by now Raoul had come to the same conclusion.

When he looked at Iason he saw them both…

He could feel Riki…

In Iason…

…as though they were sitting there together.

And in Riki's body itself, Seige could feel nothing. But he knew he was alive and he didn't need all those tubes and needles attached to the dying husk that Riki was becoming, to tell him that.

Forcing himself to focus on the task at hand he read all that was hurled at him even while he maintained the barrier that shielded them from the barrage of flying furniture and broken lab utensils. And soon enough he realized that he was right and that Raoul too had noticed what Seige had already known to be true.

Finished with his reading he shifted his nonchalant gaze to Raoul who was leaned over his desk littered with disks of his weeks of holographic studies. Even though his distant gaze revealed nothing Seige, a absolute replica of the cloth he was tailored from, could tell how Raoul was feeling and in a word…

Defeated…

Was the most suitable word he could fathom.

"We know the problem so how then can we fix it. To do this the power it would take and the time required…we simply do not possess the means," Raoul spoke as though he was the only one there.

But Seige answered all the same, "we can start where the basics and work our way up. in regards to power leave that to me. I want a plan to work with on my retur in exactly three hours."

His words earned a rare look of confusion from Raoul who turned to look up at him.

"This isn't the days of old, we have allies we can use. Jupiter when she would refuse a request from any other I know one person who she has no sway over, to deny. Time is of the essence and if your calculations and my assumptions are correct Ka-san has forty eight hours at the most," he turned to leave trusting that Raoul would not fail him now, "I can't lose them and I will do anything to prevent their demise. I trust that you understand."

A silence dawned for a moment but as he had hoped Raoul was sending messages at light speed only a breath before Seige left the room.

In the hallway away from innocent bystanders and prying eyes he allowed his rage to be felt, caring little as the weight of it all, shattered the floor to ceiling glasses on either side of the hall as he drifted by and cared far less as the ground shook beneath his feet.

Angry didn't cover it and enraged was polite in comparison to how he felt.

How could he do this?!

Or rather why would he do it?

But then again he knew that Iason loved Riki beyond what words could describe. Seige knew Iason wouldn't do this intentionally but there was no denying the facts and he had seen it with his own eyes.

Riki was on the brink of death!

And Iason…

…his own father was the cause of it.

0.0

So hello again everyone.

Soory again for the late update but rest assured I;m still working around my writer's block with my fics. For those who have read thus far I thank you and for those who have followed, faved and reviewed you get hugs and kisses from yours truly.

Remember to follow, fav, RnR and share the love with all your frieds.

Till the next update ^-^

Cheers v.v


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